Internal ridging tool



1963 J. F. RICHMOND ET AL 3,405,444

INTERNAL RIDGING TOOL Filed Feb. 1, 1967 JERRY F RICHMOND JERRY S. BOONELAWRENCE W. LANGLEY ATTORNEYS INVENTORSL v v United States Patent Office3,405,444 Patented Oct. 15, 1968 3,405,444 INTERNAL RIDGING TOOL JerryF. Richmond, Knightdale, Jerry S. Boone, Garner,

and Lawrence W. Langley, Raleigh, N.C., assignors to Corning GlassWorks, Corning, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Feb. 1, 1967, Ser.No. 613,198 4 Claims. (Cl. 30-106) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tool forcutting ridges or grooves in the internal surface of a cylindrical borehole.

Background of the invention In the field of fluid amplifiers, it isnecessary to make a plurality of fluid connections to a block ofmaterial, such as plastic or the like, which contains the various flowpassages for the fluid amplifier. Often times due to the fluid circuitdesign, it will be necessary to place a plurality of adapters very closeto each other. Prior art devices utilized a nipple arrangement which wassecured in the bore hole in the block of plastic material and theconduit or hose was clamped thereto by means of some external apparatus.Due to the size of these external clamping arrangements, the closenessof the fluid connectors was limited.

In accordance with the present invention, the various connector holesare drilled at the desired locations in the fluid amplifier block andthe flexible tubing is inserted into the bore hole. The internal surfaceof the bore hole is provided with a series of ridges and grooves, theridges being directed inwardly at an angle to assist in holding theflexible conduit within the bore hole. When fluid pressure is applied tothe conduit, the conduit has a tendency to expand into even tighterengagement with the internal ridges of the bore hole to provide apositive lock preventing the withdrawal of the conduit. Since there areno external connectors, the various fluid connectors may be placed veryclose together.

Summary of the invention An internal ridging tool comprising hollowcylindrical casing means, cylindrical blade holding means slidablymounted in said casing and protruding from one end thereof, blade meanssecured to said blade holding means for movement transverse to thelongitudinal axis of said blade holder means, said blade means beingprovided with a plurality of cutting teeth adjacent one end thereof andwedge means secured to said casing and disposed in contact with saidblade means adjacent said cutting teeth to cam said cutting teeth awayfrom the longitudinal axis of said blade holding means upon longitudinalmovement of said blade holding means with respect to said casing.

Other features of the invention will be pointed out in the followingdescription and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which disclose, by way of example, the principles of the invention andthe best mode which has been contemplated of applying those principles.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 shows a perspective view of the internal ridging tool of theinvention;

FIGURE 2 is a transverse sectional View of the tool shown in FIGURE 1with the cutting teeth in the retracted position;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view similar to FIGURE 2 showing thecutting teeth in their expanded positions; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view along the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

In the drawings, the internal ridging tool is generally designated bythe reference numeral 10. The tool is comprised of a cylindrical casingmember 12 having a large diameter bore 14 extending axially thereof fromone end of the casing. A small diameter bore extends axially of thecasing 12 from the other end of the casing and intersects with the largediameter cylindrical bore 14. A cylindrical blade holding member 18 isslidably mounted within the large diameter bore 14 and protrudes fromthe bore a considerable distance. The blade holding member 18 isprovided with a transverse slot 20, which is cut through the cylindricalblade holder member 18 on a diameter thereof. A cylindrical bore 22 isalso formed in the cylindrical blade holding member 18 along an axisthereof. A pair of pins 24 are secured in radial openings in the casing12 and extend into the slot 20 to prevent the with drawal of the bladeholding member 18 from the bore 14 in the casing 12. A spring 26 isprovided in the bore 14 between the bottom of the bore and the end ofthe member 18 to normally bias the member 18 outwardly of the bore 14into engagement with the stop pins 24.

A bearing retainer 28 is clamped to the blade holding member 18intermediate the ends thereof. The bearing retainer 28 is formed as asplit ring and the ends of the ring are secured by means of screws 30. Aspacer member 32 is inserted between the ends of the split ring 28 andhas a thickness equal to the thickness of the slot 20 so as to preventthe ring 28 from squeezing the slot 20 closed when the retainer 28 isclamped on blade holding member 18. The screws 30 extend through thespacer member 32. A second bearing retaining sleeve 34 is press fittedon the bearing retainer 28 and is provided with an internal groove 36adapted to loosely enclose a thrust type bearing. The bearing iscomprised of a pair of races 27 and 29 and an intermediate ballretaining member 31. Such a thrust hearing is considered conventional inthe art. However, the outermost race 29 is beveled at a 45 angle toprovide a suitable gripping surface for the retainer. The end surface 33of the bearing race 29 extends beyond the end of the retaining sleeve34.

A pair of 'blade members 38 and 40 are located substantially within theslot 20 and are pinned to the blade holding member 18 by means of pins42. The portion of the blades 38 and 40 which extend outwardly beyondthe bearing retainer 28 are provided with a plurality of cutting teeth44 along their outermost edge. The innermost edge of each blade in thearea of the teeth is formed with tapered camming notches 46.

An elongated taper shaft 48 is secured in the bore 16 of the casing 12by means of a set screw 50. The taper shaft extends axially of thecasing 12 and protrudes from the end thereof a substantial distance. Theouter end of the taper shaft 48 is provided with a pair of conicalwedging surfaces 52 and 54 which are adapted to cooperate with thecamming surfaces 46 on the blade members. In the normal position of theblades, the blades are held snugly to the shaft 48 along their entirelength with the notches 46 inteifitting with the wedging surfaces 52 and54, as shown in FIGURE 2.

In the operation of the device, the spring 26 normally biases the bladeholder 18 to its outermost position. Since the taper shaft 48 and itswedging surfaces 52 and 54 are axially secured with respect to thecasing 12, the end of the blades 38 and 40 having the teeth 44 thereonwill be biased inwardly by the inherent resiliency of the blades to theposition shown in FIGURE 2. The casing member 12 is secured in anyrotating member, such as a drill press, spindle, etc. As the entire toolis rotated and moved forward into a predrilled hole in the workpiece,the end surface 33 of the outermost ball race 29 of the thrust bearingwill come into contact with the outer surface of the workpiece. At thisstage the tool will still be in 3 the position shown in FIGURE 2 and theportions of the blade members 38 and 40 having the cutting teeth 44thereon will be located fully within the hole but in their retractedposition.

The thrust bearing now contacting the workpiece and floating freelywithin the retaining groove 36 of sleeve 34 causes forward advancementto cease altogether for the bearing members (27, 29 and 31), the bearingretainers (28, 34), blade members (38, 40), blade holder 18 and spacer32, while they continue to rotate, being driven by pins 24 which fitsnugly but freely in the same slots in the blade holder 18 as the blademembers 38 and 40. Forward motion continues to advance casing 12 andshaft 48 against the pressure of the spring 26 and the wedging surfaces52 and 54 thereby cam the teeth carrying portions of the blade members38 and 40 outwardly of the slot into engagement with the internal wallof the predrilled hole. Continued rotation of the tool and advancementof casing 12 and shaft 48 will cut the grooves into the internal wall ofthe hole to a predetermined depth. When the casing 12 abuts the bearingretainer 28 as shown in FIGURE 3, the blades will be cammed outwardly tothe maximum extent.

Tool retraction first initiates blade contraction away from the groovesand ridges cut in the hole by the action of spring 26 until pins 24reach the end of the slot 20 in holder 18, thereby limiting the outwardtravel of the holder 18 from casing 12. After this the continuedwithdrawal of the tool lifts the entire tool from the workpiece and outof the hole with a plurality of ridges and grooves now cut inside. Notethat all parts of the tool are rotating with the rotatable drive memberthroughout the entire operation except the outermost ball bearing race29 which floats freely with the retainer sleeve 34 when in contact withthe work surface.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, tobe understood that within the scope of the appended claims, theinvention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A rotatable internal ridging tool comprising hollow cylindricalcasing means adapted to be secured to a rotatable chuck, cylindricalblade holding means slidably and non-rotatably mounted for reciprocatingmovement in said casing and protruding from one end thereof, blade meanssecured to said blade holding means for movement transverse to thelongitudinal axis of said blade holding means, said blade means beingprovided with a plurality of cutting teeth adjacent one end thereof forcutting a plurality of circumferential grooves upon rotation of saidtool and wedge means fixedly secured directly to said casing anddisposed in contact with said blade means adjacent said cutting teeth tocam said cutting teeth away from the longitudinal axis of said bladeholding means upon longitudinal movement of said casing means withrespect to said blade holding means.

2. An internal ridging tool as set forth in claim 1 further comprisingspring means adapted to bias said blade holding means outwardly of saidhollow cylindrical casing means and stop means to limit the movement ofsaid holding means relative to said casing means.

3. An internal ridging tool as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wedgemeans is comprised of an elongated shaft having tapered wedging surfaceson one end thereof secured concentrically with said casing and extendingconcentrically within said holding means with said wedging surfaces incontact with said blade means adjacent the toothed ends thereof.

4. An internal ridging tool as set forth in claim 1 further comprisingbearing means rotatably secured on said holding means externally of saidcasing to limit the insertion of said blade holding means into a hole ina workpiece.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 408,162 7/1889 Condon 30-92.51,448,730 3/1923 Davis 30337 JAMES L. JONES, JR., Primary Examiner.

